Dozens in Middlesex County speak out against budget cuts

The impact of proposed state budget cuts are far reaching and could spell difficult times not just for municipalities and school districts, but a plethora of organizations, programs and initiatives.

That emerged as the central message delivered Wednesday at a public hearing orchestrated by Middlesex County’s 18th District legislators, State Senate Majority Leader Barbara Buono and assemblymen Peter Barnes and Patrick Diegnan.

The trio of Democrats allowed dozens of people — ranging from mayors and school district superintendents to college students and letter-writing constituents — to share stories of how Gov. Chris Christie’s proposed budget and related bills would impact them.

The hearing, held at Middlesex County College in Edison, was well-organized, lasted hours and included little support for the cuts (despite one man who left the crowded room declaring “this is why Christie is governor”).

Here are a few examples of what speakers had to say about the state spending cuts, proposed as a means of grappling with a massive deficit.

• “Passing the entire problem down to municipalities is not a workable approach, or a viable solution. This aid cut will have a negative impact on both cities, towns and boroughs in Middlesex County and throughout the entire state,” said Metuchen Mayor Thomas Vahalla. He later added, “these cuts will not elevate New Jersey, but bring her to her knees.”

• “If Christie goes through with his cuts, kids are going to look other places for college. And states like Pennsylvania and states like New York have a lot of money to give to students, and they’re going to seek that out,” said Samantha Popp, a Middlesex County College student. She was concerned about the budget’s impact on NJ Stars, a scholarship program that pays tuition for her and other community college students.

• “I’ve been in senior services since 1970, and I don’t ever remember a state budget that could adversely impact seniors so directly,” said Margaret Chester, executive director of the Middlesex County Department on Aging. She worries how seniors would be hurt by a proposal to stop allowing them to enter a state program that freezes their property taxes.

Speaker after speaker told stories that were much the same, repeating over and over again how detrimental the budget cuts will be to them or those they serve. There were some who pointed out budget cuts that would, they said, create more costs in the end. Others said the cuts end up disqualifying the state from receiving much greater amounts of federal grant money.

“A lot of this budget doesn’t make sense,” Buono said, repeating a comment made by Phyllis Kinsler, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Central New Jersey, who said the state is walking away from $9 million in federal funding.